Lavender Dream cake

Ingredients for Cake:

• 2 cups sugar

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup dark cocoa powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup 2% milk

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 cup boiling water

Cocoa powder to dust the pans (keeps the side of the cake from showing white from dusting your cake pans with flour)

Ingredients for Lavender Milk:

• 1/4 cup milk

• 2 Tbsp dried culinary lavender

Ingredients for Lavender Frosting:

• 3 -4 cups powdered sugar

• 1 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 8 oz package Cream Cheese

• 1/4 cup lavender-infused milk (see above)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions for Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two or three 8″ cake pans and coat thoroughly with cocoa powder.

2. Combine sugar, flour, dark cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large mixing bowl.

3. Add eggs one at a time and mix until incorporated.

4. Add milk, oil and vanilla all at once and beat on medium speed of mixer about two minutes.

5. Stir in the boiling water.

6. Divide batter into prepared pans.

7. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

8. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely.

9. Spread frosting on three layers of cake, leaving the sides naked.

10. Top with blackberries, Raspberries, Blueberries and fresh cherries (or any combination your desire).

Directions for Lavender Milk:

1. In a small sauce pan, heat 1/4 cup milk with 2 Tbsp dried culinary lavender. Remove from heat, let cool, and allow lavender to steep for at least four hours in the fridge.

2. Strain dried lavender from milk by pouring it through a sieve.

Directions for Frosting

1. Beat softened butter and softened cream cheese with an electric mixer. Add 2 cups powdered sugar and beat until uniform in color.

2. Add lavender-infused milk, vanilla extract, and remaining 1 -2 cups powdered sugar to frosting (depending on how sweet you want your frosting) and beat until smooth.

3. Add purple food coloring to achieve your desired shade of purple.